The 2 Best Seasons for Big Bass (and How To Catch Them)

Good evening brothers.

The following article was sent to me by my friend Jason Kaefer over at Wild Outdoor. We’ve been talking for a while about sharing experiences and articles back and forth, which is a great idea. After all, a rising tide lifts all boats. If you would like to discuss contributing to TheMinimalistFisherman.com feel free to get in touch! -AJ

The 2 Best Seasons For Big Bass And How To Catch Them

Are you ready to catch the biggest bass of your life but don’t know where to start? Learning the many techniques and variety of fishing gear necessary to become a good bass angler can be difficult. But targeting giants is basic. It only comes down to a handful of lures and techniques and two seasons to focus on. Don’t get me wrong, you can find and catch big bass all year, but there are two periods when your chances are highest – when giants are easiest to catch.

Understanding Bass Behavior

When it comes to fooling the biggest fish on the lake, you better have a good presentation. Bass see countless lures and presentations, roaring boat engines and disruptive wakes, loud banging of boat hatches, and other fish being caught. They may even experience being caught a few times themselves. This learning process gradually develops into cautious behavior. They learn the movements of a jig or swim bait, knowing at some point as it reaches that dark shadow on the surface that it gradually pulls up and disappears.

Other bass learn to spot heavy lines or an out-of-place food source. Suppose they survive starvation over time and disease, larger predatory fish, stress-related illness, cold winters, drought, lampreys, river otters, osprey, eagles, hook-related injuries leading to infection, or end up on an angler’s wall. In that case, they become too smart to catch. But not impossible. The odds of surviving beyond incubation are stacked against them, much less growing to 15 lbs. So the ones who make it through nature’s filter system are unique.

Spring Pre-Spawn

Spring marks the beginning of bass migration from deep water to shallow water, which often occurs when water temperatures reach 60 degrees. Big bass will follow migration routes and “stage” on areas like main lake points. The purpose of this is to allow smaller males (bucks) to search for potential bedding sites for females. This is when bass fishing is at its best.

Big females are full of eggs, moody, and much easier to trick. It’s believed that their eyesight adjusts slowly as they rise closer to the surface. Anglers use a variety of lures this time of year including crankbaits and chatterbaits in red as this color pops out. It’s also the best time for double digits you only hear of during dock talk. One way to target these giants is to use big swim baits like the Huddleston Rainbow Trout and Savage Gear Line-thru rainbow trout.

Big swim baits and glide baits are good presentations for targeting giant fish. The best time to use them is typically when water temperatures reach 60 degrees. Target rocky points on the outside of inlets and backbays. Fish along rock walls and shorelines that lead to marinas. You can speed up your retrieve this time of year so that your swim bait follows the mid-water column. Giant largemouth will stage in these areas before heading to spawn, relating to wood, metal, and rock. Riff raff is a good place to find bass that are moving up shallow because they often hold crawdads and heat.

Gear to Use

When throwing big swimbaits, it’s all about good flexibility, strength, and stretch. An 8 ft Medium-heavy or Heavy power rod with a long, solid handle and good bend is best for 2-5 ounce swim baits. 20-30lb fluorocarbon will provide a better stretch and all of this combined when casting will allow you to fling your bait out without snapping your line or backlashing.

Winter

Winter is the second best time to target the biggest fish on the lake. Many anglers put bass fishing on hold until spring, focusing on deer season and family. Others hate the cold weather. This leaves the lake empty – no boat traffic, loud music, or water skiers. You have the whole lake to yourself. It also gives the bass time to reset. The environment has gone silent after a year of the same lures whizzing past them and the noise of boats blasting above. It’s a perfect time to bass fish, as long as you can tolerate the cold weather! However, you need to understand bass behavior and where they go during this time.

Where Do Bass Go In Winter?

During winter, bass head for deeper water and sit on rocky bottoms. They may suspend or rise to shallower water on warm days. It’s useful to have a decent sonar to locate their position. Follow bait balls (if possible ) on your sonar. You can also look for pelicans and other diving birds along the shorelines, which is usually a good indicator. Big bass will hang along the sides of bait fish or below. Bigger bass often take the best locations during winter like steep slopes that create ambush points, drop-offs, and ledges. This makes it predictable when trying to locate them. You won’t get many bites in winter and it’s a grind. But that thump that follows a long day of no action will be well worth it.

How To Catch Big Bass In Winter

The key is to slow down in winter. Whether you’re fishing giant swimbaits, glide baits, or dragging a jig, fish as slowly as possible. Bass will slowly rise to the occasion by the allure of a slow twitch jerkbait or a swimbait crawled along the bottom. But only if it moves slowly enough.

Fish have an internal sense of calorie gains and depletion. They lose calories chasing down prey and may spend it all for nothing if that prey item gets away. Cold water bass also lack the motivation to move quickly as their bodies shut down in response to a slowing metabolism. Thus they don’t move, and they eat very little. This is why winter is such a good time to fish giant baits. It presents a meal packed with calories and moves slowly enough for a giant bass to catch it.

You can use the Huddleston 8″ trout swim bait and slowly swim it along the bottom. Maintaining contact with the bottom is key during this time – if you can feel the bottom, you’re in the strike zone. Remind yourself to slow down and even dead-stick it at times. A lethargic 8″ trout barely moving provides a perfect feeding opportunity for the largest fish and is worth the energy spent moving over to it.

Final Thoughts

Spring and winter are the two best seasons for bass fishing. You can easily put high numbers in the boat or target the biggest bass of your life. You can target them with giant swim baits and glide baits. But other notable lures include big jigs and spinner baits. Remember to fish slow and deep in winter and speed up in spring while targeting secondary points and shallow water cover and structure.